The State Public Defender Postconviction Clinic offers students the opportunity to provide criminal legal representation to low income persons. Each student represents approximately four to six clients in a wide variety of criminal law cases, handling them from start to finish under the supervision of an experienced attorney at the Minnesota State Public Defender’s Office. Students participate in all phases of practice, from client interviewing through any scheduled court hearings, and are exposed to a law firm setting where they do their work. Typical cases include post-conviction motions on issues such as sentencing, restitution, conditional release, guilty plea withdrawal, parole and probation revocation, and end of confinement community notification. There may be the opportunity for appellate advocacy, as well as challenges to underlying convictions for persons facing deportation. Along with hands-on experience, classroom instruction on various aspects of practice is provided in the student's first semester. Students may not register for more than one clinic during the same semester without the consent of both instructors. Students may not drop a clinic course online later than one week prior to the start of the semester. Students may drop through the add/drop deadline by using the drop form found on the registrar's website. The classroom component of this course meets in-person. After the first class meeting, the classroom component will meet at the State Public Defender's Office (540 Fairview Avenue S., St. Paul). Students must be vaccinated or have an approved exemption on file with the dean of students. Note that all in-person activities will be subject to whatever COVID-related restrictions are in place at the time, i.e. masks, testing, etc. For more information about this clinic, students should consult the information on the clinic webpage:https: //mitchellhamline.edu/clinics/state-public-defender-postconviction-clinic/ Course meets in-person. Pre/CoReq: LAW- 2015
Prerequisites
LAW-2015. May be taken concurrently.